Enemies have failed: Iran Commander

TEHRAN. — Commander of Iran’s Basij (volunteer) Force Brigadier-General Mohammad Reza Naqdi underlined the high preparedness of the Islamic Republic’s Armed Forces, saying that Iran’s defensive capabilities and readiness have pushed the enemy to resort to soft war. “The enemy which couldn’t wage a hot war against the Iranian nation grew disappointed after it found that the deployment (of its forces) around the Islamic Republic has proved ineffective, and it has now focused on the cultural front,” Naqdi said, addressing a forum in Tehran yesterday.

“Since seven years ago, they have focused mainly on soft war and the cultural front,” he added.
Naqdi further pointed to the wave of psychological propaganda against the Islamic Republic as part of the same soft war efforts made by the enemies, saying over 160 Persian-language satellite channels are now working outside Iran to affect and change the thoughts and system of values of the Iranian youths and families.

A deputy chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces also warned in early January that enemies have devised different plots to implement various soft war scenarios, and called for taking the necessary precautionary measures by Iranian officials.

“It is necessary to devise the needed retaliatory measures in proportion with the enemy’s determination, which is unfortunately growing more serious every day, and to implement them with firmness and confidence,” Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces for Cultural Affairs and Defense Publicity Brigadier-General Massoud Jazzayeri said, addressing a group of Armed Forces’ cultural officials.

He underlined that the Armed Forces as flag-bearers of fighting against enemies’ soft war scenarios can make the society active and remove the existing concerns in this regard by activating potentials and creating effective and timely capacities. — FNA.